Wind turbines have received increased public attention and interest because such turbines are environmentally safe and provide a relatively inexpensive alternative energy source with zero greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions. Due to this growing interest, considerable efforts have been made to develop wind turbines that are reliable and efficient.
Generally described, wind turbines use the wind to generate electricity or to drive any type of load. The wind turns one or more blades connected to a hub and a shaft. The shaft may be in communication with a rotor of a generator. The spin of the blades, the shaft, and the rotor thus generates electricity. The wind turbine converts the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical power and then the mechanical power drives the generator to produce electricity.
A rotor for a wind turbine generator having about a five (5) megawatt rating generally may have a diameter of more than about six (6) meters. Rotors of other types of utility grade wind turbines may be considerably larger. Typical intermodal shipping containers used for rail, ship, and/or truck transport, however, generally may be about four (4) meters in depth, about four (4) meters in height, and about fifteen (15) meters long. As such, these conventional intermodal shipping containers may not be used for the transport of most types of wind turbine rotors and the like. Rather, more expensive types of transport may be necessary.
There is therefore a desire for a segmented rotor that may be transported via conventional means while also being relatively easy to assemble on site. Moreover, the resulting rotor should have the desired strength and integrity as may be found with existing assemblies.